Mechanical and electrical wire connector



July 7, 1959 c. P. HAYES 2,894,243

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL WIRE CONNECTOR Filed April 25, 1955 ,Z/ 1/4 1g 726 I, fifi 4 6 2 f0 z? 8 mTKk 5; 4 13% 30 Z 47. 5 36 Z2? ,7 INVENTOR.

' [fiar/es P. Hayes United States Patent MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL WIRECONNECTOR Charles Pat Hayes, Spokane, Wash.

Application April 25, 1955, Serial No. 503,653

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-206) The present invention relates to electricalwiring systems and more particularly to a solderless mechanical andelectrical wire connector.

In assembly line methods of construction Where speed of completion isimportant, such as in automobile manufacturing, it is not economicallyfeasible to employ soldered wire connections at many points ofconnection, neither is it practical to use a continuous length of wirebetween the power supply and the fixture in many cases, Therefore it isone object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive yetvery efiective connector for wires which will mechanically interconnectthe wires and prevent their accidental separation, as well aselectrically connect them.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a wireconnector which is inexpensive to manufacture from a minimum number ofparts and which may be assembled with facility.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a wireconnector which may be tightly closed so that oil and grease or watermay not enter to disrupt or short the connection.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved coupler embodying theinvention constituting the subject matter of this application;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal slightly enlarged cross sectiontaken through the coupler on a plane indicated by the line 2--2 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse cross section on the plane indicated at line3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a further enlarged transverse cross section on the planeindicated at line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a modified form of the invention showing a plurality of wirecouplers which are electrically insulated one from the other;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical cross section taken on the planeindicated at line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an end view of a further modified wire coupler; and

Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical cross section taken on the planeindicated at line 88 of Figure 7 and upon a scale enlarged over that ofFigure 7.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, I have disclosed a couplerhaving a base member 10 which is formed from a block of insulationmaterial such as a synthetic resin, Bakelite, hard rubber, etc. On itsupper side the base member 10 is provided with a flat planar surface orface 11. Opening at each end the member 10 has angularly disposed bores1212 which communicate with each other at an oblique angle midway thelength of the base member 10 and vent midway the length and the width ofthe flat planar surface 11, forming a recessed central portion 15.

It will be noted that the bores 12 have enlarged outer end portions 16and reduced inner end portions 17. This permits the rubberized or othertype insulation material 18 surrounding the conductive wire 19 to sealtightly in the bores 12 and yet have the terminal end portions 19a,which are bared, to extend completely into the connector where they areprovided with an acute bend at 19b over a rigid portion or lip 20 tofasten the wires into the connector.

At its ends the base member 10 is vertically reduced to form verticalshoulders 13 and step portions 14.

The base member 10 is provided with a cap 21 which has a centralrecessed portion 22 adapted to receive the upstanding flat planarsurface 11, and has end walls 23 which fit tightly into the step portion14 of the base 10 and thus anchor the cap 21 against relativelongitudinal movements with respect to the base member 10 as well asserving as a sealing means therebetween.

The cap 21 is provided with side walls 24 which are provided withserrations 25 on their inner side faces, and these serrations cooperatewith mating serrations 26 formed on the outer side walls of the basemember 10.

A contact strip 27 is coextensive with the recess 22 of the cap 21 andis provided with an undulatory configuration 28 midway its length. Thecontact strip 27 is formed from a conductive metal which has asutficient body resiliency to permit the contact strip 27 to be pressedinto the recess 22, and the resiliency or bias of the portion 28 willcause it to exert an endwise pressure and maintain its position in thecap 21 with the portion 28 disposed in the recessed portion 15.

Inspection of Figure 2 will reveal that the cap 21, when pressed downupon the base member 10, will cause the contact strip 27 to pressagainst the bared terminal end portions 19a of the wires 19 andelectrically connect the wires through the strip 27 and simultaneouslyclamp the Wires against the surface 11 and thus prevent their becomingunhooked from the rigid portions 20 about which they are bent at anacute angle, resulting in a practical mechanical and electricalconnector for wires.

In Figure 6 I have shown a ganged type base member 10a wherein there arefour portions corresponding to the base member which are disposed in theform of a cross so that four individual wires may be connected and formfour wires or conductors which are electrically separate.

In Figures 7 and 8 I have disclosed a species of the invention whereinthe connector unites a wire 19 with a terminal eye 29. In this speciesthe base member 30 is provided with a pivotal cap 31 with which Iassociate a contact strip 32. The base member 30 has a rigid portion 31'about which the bared terminal end portion 19a of the wire 19 is bent.When the cap 31 having serrations at 33 is pressed down into cooperatingrelationship with the serrations 34 of the base member 30 the contactstrip 32 clamps against the terminal end portion 19a of the wire 19 at35, and electrically connects and mechanically anchors the wire to theeye 29.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In an electrical circuit, a wire connector comprising in combinationwith a base member of insulating material having longitudinallyextending bores disposed at an oblique angle relative to each other andopening midway the length of said base member intermediate a flatsurface, whereby to receive the ends of wires through said bores withtheir bared ends bent in acute bends and their terminal bared endportions overlaying said fiat surface in opposed directions; a contactelement of conductive material substantially coextensive with said fiatsurface and adapted to overlay the terminal end portions of said wires;of a cap having depending side walls adapted to be releasably secured tothe base mem- Patented July 7, 1959.

3 bet with the cap in covering relation to said contact element forapplying clamping pressure to said contact element toward said surface;and said cap having means associating, with, said base member to sealtherewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,458,247 Schleper June 12, 1923 4 Williams Sept. 4, 1923 Lauter Oct.18, 1927 Wisner Apr. 27, 1937 Schauer Sept. 22, 1942 Nicolazzo Mar. 14,1947 Grover Nov. 18, 1947 Dasher Nov. 22, 1949

